Machine for stemming and cleaning raisins.



No. 639,|52. Patented nec. I2, aaasl. s. s. cox.

MACHINE FR. STEMMIYNG AND CLEANING RAISINS.

(Application 'med Jan. so, 1899.)

No. 939952t Patented Dec. l2, |999.

. c. s. cox.

MACHINE FOR STEMMING AND CLEANING RISINS.

(Application led Jan, 30, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2` A TTOHNEYS. 9

TH: Noxms PETERS m.. pomumm wAsNmcrrcN. o, c.

i UNrTnD STATES PATENT rrrcr..

CARY s. CCX, CF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FCR sTEMMlNc AND CLEANING RAISINs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,152, dated December12, 1.899. Applioatonflled January 30, 1899. Serial No. 703,880. (Nomodel-l T a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CARY S. COX, of Fresno,

4 in the county of Fresno and State of California, have invented a newand Improved Machine for Stemming and Cleaning Raisins, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine especially adaptedfor stemming and cleaning raisins and to construct such a machine in asimple and durable manner and so that the machine will be under thecomplete control of the operator.

Another obj ect of the invention is to so construct a machine that thestems will be entirely removed from the raisins without injury to thelatter and the dirt or dust that may be mingled with the fruit will beremoved therefrom and conducted from the machine through a mediumindependent of that employed for conducting the cleaned fruit.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination .of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improved machine. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the stationary funnel of the machine and the screen,brushes, and stem-collectors, a portion of the screen being insection,the screen shown in Fig. 2 being that in connection with whichthe brushes and stem-collectors operate. Fig. 3 is a plan view of aportion of one of the stetncollectors. Fig. 4 is an end View of one ofthe brush-carrying arms used in connection with the stem-collectors.Fig. 5 is a vertical section through revolving screens and theirsupports, the carrying-shaft being in elevation, which screens andsupports represent modifications of the Construction shown in Fig. 1;and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through a gearing for the innerscreen, taken practically on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, the inner screenappearing in plan view.

A represents a frame of any suitable or approved construction. Avertical shaft 10 is mounted in the frame A, the lower portion of saidshaft being held to turn in a bearn g 11,

attached to a cross-bar l2, which is shown as supported by a secondcross-bar 12, the two cross bars being at angles to each other. Theupper end of the shaft 10 is made to pass through an opening 13 at thetop of the frame, and the said shaft 10 may extend any desired distanceabove the upper portion of the frame. A plate 14 is attached to the topof the frame, the saidplate being provided with a circular opening, saidopening being in longitudinal alinementwith the opening 13, throughwhich the shaft is passed. An eXteriorly-threaded sleeve 15 is looselymounted upon the upper portion of the shaft l0, and a hand-wheel 16, thehub of which is interiorly threaded, is mounted upon the threaded sleeve15, the hub 16 of the hand-wheel being made to turn in a socket in thebearing-plate 14, and the handwheel is prevented from having verticalmovement by securing a collar 17 on the shaft 10 just above thehand-wheel. Thus by operating the hand-wheel 16 the shaft 10 may beraised or lowered, as desired. The shaft at its upper end is providedwith a pulley 18, adapted for belt connection with any source of power.n

Between the ends of the shaft 10, within the frame, a conicalenlargement 19 is formed on the said shaft, the base of the conicalprojection facing downward, and a collar 2O is keyed or otherwisesecured on the shaft immediately below the conical projection 19. Ahopper 2l is made to surround the shaft 10, the conical projection 19 ofthe shaft being at the bottomV portion of said hopper, which bottomportion is open. The bottom portion of the hopper 2l usually consists ofa casting or forging 22, outwardly iiared at its lower edge, and ascreen or a sieve 23 is attached to the bottom of the hopper, saidscreen or sieve at its outer edge being secured to a sustainingframe 24,comprising, preferably, conveXed spokes or arms a, that extend from theeXterior of the bottom portion of lthe hopper, and au annular rim a', towhich the outer ends of the arms or spokes are attached or of which theymay form an integral part, and preferably the outer edge of thescreen'or sieve 23 is secured to the said rim a. The construc- -tion ofthe sustaining-frame is completed by a covering 24, of sheet metal, thatextends over the arms a ofthe sustaining-frame to the IOO rim d'thereof. Pipes 25, connected with a blower or other source ofair-supply, (not shown,) are passed at intervals through thesustaining-frame, as shown in Fig. 1.

A funnel 26 is stationarily secured to the frame, the said funnel beingpreferably attached to t-he frame immediately below the rim ctof thesustaining-frame, and what may be termed the back portion of the funnelconsists of a plate 27, that is inclined .from `the rim d of thesustaining-frame downwardly and outwardly to the base of the main frameA, thus project-ing beyond the bottom ofthe funnel-frame 26, which isopen.

The funnel-frame or main funnel 2G contains a funnel 28 of lesserdiameter, a space intervening the top of the inner funnel 28 and thescreen or sieve The lower end ofthe inner vfunnel 28 is contracted toform a boxlike outlet 29,A and this outlet is secured to the inclinedplate 27 ofthe outer funnel 26 in any sui-table or approvedmanner; butthe inner funnel -28 may be otherwise held stationary, -and theboX-'like outlet of the inner funnel is provided with 'an-opening 30,towhich a pipe ortube may be connected for the purpose of conductingfrom the machine the stems and dirt removed Vfrom the raisins.

A sleeve 3l is adjustably secured on `the -shaft'10, Within the innerfunnel 28, and a second sleeve 32 'is looselyT mounted on the shaft l0,ball-bearings 33 being made to intervene the two sleeves 31 and 32, andballbearings are likewise located in the upper loosely-mounted sleeve32, engaging-with the shaft l0. Asstated, the lower sleeve 3l isvertically adjustable, being held in position ley-means of arset-serew-or likedevice,and the -upper loosely-mounted sleeve 32 maybevertically adj usted also, but is held inengagement with the lowersleeve 3l by an adjustable coll'ar 34,located between the saidlooselymounted `sleeve 32 and what may be-termed the base portion 2O ofthe cone 19 on the said shaft 10.

Ahub 35 is keyed or otherwise secured on the'shaft l0 below ltheadjustable sleeve 3l, and spokes or arms 36 are made to radiate inaufupwardlyjand outwardly direction from the-hub 35, the spokes36extending above the upper edge of the inner funnel 28. The upperendsof the spokes or arms 36 are se; cured to a rim 37, and a sieve orscreen 38 is attached to said rim 37, said sieve or screen 38 extendingupwardly from the rim, being attached to the shaft 10 through the mediumof thebody 19 of the conical projection of the shaft and its base 20,between which parts thecentral portion of the screen -38 isclamped.4Thescreen 38, as shown especially in Fig. 2, is provided with series ofelongated openings, and these series of elongated openings aretriangularly arranged, said elongated-openings of-thescreen-38 beingadapted to receive the stems of the raisins to be treated.

Arms or spokes-39 are projected outwardly and slightly upwardly from theloosely-mountbars 42, carrying brushes 42m.

ed ball-bearing sleeve 32, and an additional set of arms 40 is likewiseprojected from the said ball-bearing sleeve 32 at a point above the arms39, the arms or spokes 40 being at a more acute angle to theball-bearing sleevethan the arms or spokes 39. The two sets of armsor-spokes 39 and 40 are the same in number and location, andcorresponding arms of alternate sets of arms 39 and 40 are adapted tosupport plates 4l, provided with saw-teeth 4la at their side edges, theother sets of arms or spokes 39 and 40 being adapted to support Thebrushes 42a'are adapted Vto engage with the under face of the sieve orscreen 38, through which the stems of the raisins are adaped toeXtencLand the serrated'or toothed plates 4l are adapted likewise to`travel in close relation ato therunder surface of saidscreen 38.'llhezteeth 4l of the plate-il serve to receive'betwee'n'them theprojecting `ends of the stems andadraw said stems from the raisins,while thebrushes 42 clean the aperturesui-n the screen-.38from any dustor foreign substance that imight 'be likely -to clogthe same.

It will beobserved that the screen 38 Zrevolves with lthe shaftlOandthat the cleaners -namely, the toothed `,plates and Athe brushes-travelmuch slower,since they are given motion only/throughth'e'frictional-engagemeutof their supports with-the shaft.

Under the construction shown Ain Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated ameans whereby the Acleaning device for the upper-revolving'screen 38 ismounted to revolve in adirection'opposite to thep'athzof revolution of'the said-upper screen. In the modified form of construction the sleeve`32, loosely mounted on the shaft l0 and having roller bearing upon theadj ustable-sleeve 3l, is provided with 1a disk extension 32a-at 'itsupper face,iand a cupcasing 43 is placed over the disk extension 32a,'the said cup-casing 43 being provided with roller-bearings 44,1thatengage vwith the upper surface of a gear 47, secured uponthe shaft l0within the cup-casing; but the rollerbearings 44 may be otherwiseplaced.

Arms 39a are ,projected from the outersurface of the cup-casing 43,the'arrns S93-corresponding-tothe arms 39, (shown in Fig. 1,) andshorter arms -40'LL are projected froml the upper portion of thecup-casing, corresponding to the arms 40. (Illustrated in Fig. l.) Thearms 30 and 40a receive and vsupport a wire screen 48 of disk orcircular form, as shown in Fig. G, the said screen 48 having'an openingat its center, since'the inner redge of said screen-wire disk does notextend beyond the inner faces of the vupperarms 40l. The screen-wiredisk 48 is loc'atedbelow yet somewhat close to the under face oftheupper or main revolving-screen 38. I

The cup-casing 43 is held in vposition and is rendered capable ofadjustment by placing a collar'34, provided with a'suitable setscrew,between the upper collar 2O and the said casing, as shown in Fig. 5.Thescreen- ICO IIO

IZO

wire disk 4S is adapted to revolve vin a contrary direction to thedirection of revolution of the outer or main screen 38, and this isaccomplished by forming teeth 46 upon the interior side surface of thecup-casing, which teeth are engaged by pinions 45, said pinions beingmounted to turn upon spindles carried by the disk or table extension 32aof the sleeve 32, and said pinions 45 likewise mesh with the gear 47,secured to the shaft IO and located within the said cup-casing 43.

In operation the raisins are placed in the hopper 2l, and after thescreen 38 has been adjusted relative to the screen 23 the raisins inpassing between the two screens will be subjected to blasts of airintroduced through the pipes 25. clean the raisins from dust or dirtadhering thereto,while the stems of the raisins as they are tumbledbetween the screens will enter the openings in the lower screen or sieve38, and if any stems are not at this time detached from the raisins theywill be withdrawn therefrom by the toothed plates 4l and brushes 42abunder the construction shown in Fig. 1 and by the screen-Wire disk 48under the construction shown in Fig. 5. The raisins find an exit fromthe machine through the space between the inner and outer funnels 26 and28, being delivered upon the inclined plate 27, while the stems and`dust fall into the box-receptacle 29 of the inner hopper and passoffthrough the outlet-opening therein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. In a machine for stemming and cleaning raisins, afixed screen, a rotary screen, a feed device arranged to deliver thefruit between the two screens, means for subjecting the fruit thusintroduced to currents of air, and a cleaning mechanism for the rotaryscreen, adapted to remove stems or other material that may lodge in themeshes of the rotary screen, as described.

2. In a machine forstemming and cleaning raisins, a stationary screen,air-deliverypipes having their outlets above said screen, a secondscreen of dierent mesh mounted to revolve below the stationary screen, afeed device in communication with the space between the two screens, andan automaticallyoperated cleaning mechanism for the rotary screen, asset forth. Y

3. In a machine for stemming and cleaning raisins, a stationary screen,a feed device with which said screen is connected, a second screenmounted for rotary movement adjacent to the fixed screen, and foradjustment to and from the fixed screen, a cleaning device capable ofmovable engagement with the rotary screen and adapted for adjustmenttherewith, and means whereby currents of air may be passed through thefixed screen and directed upon the rotary screen.

4. In a machine for stemming and cleaning raisins, two screens, onefixed and the other These air-blasts will serve to.

mounted to rotate, an adjustable shaft supporting the rotary screen,means for rotating the shaft, a feed device in communication with thespace between the screens, a cleaning device forthe under surface ofsaid rotary screen, an interiorly-toothed casing arranged to support thecleaning device, being loosely mounted upon the said shaft, a tablelikewise loosely mounted upon t'he said shaft, over which said casing isplaced, a gear secured to the shaft within said casing, and pinionscarried by the said table, meshing with the gear and teeth of thecasing, whereby the casing is turned in a direction contrary to thedirection of rotation of the shaft as said shaft revolves.

5. In a machine for stemming raisins, a screen mounted to rotate, havingopenings sufficiently large to permit the passage of raisin-stemsthrough them, and serrated arms mounted to turn at the under surface ofthe screen and independent of the screen, said arms being adapted toremove stems or other material that may lodge in the meshes of therotary screen.

6. In a machine for stemming raisins, a screen mounted to revolve, meansfor directing raisins to the screen and guiding them thereon, andserrated arms adapted to remove stems or other material from the meshesof the screen, and brushes adapted as cleaners for the rotary screen,the arms and brushes having movement independent of the movement of saidrotary screen.

7. In a machine for stemming and cleaning raisins,a hopper adapted toreceive the raisins, a stationary screen carried by the hopper, pipesadapted to be connected with a source of air-supply, having theiroutlets above the stationary screen, a second screen mounted to revolvebelow the stationary screen, brushes and serrated arms arranged formovement at the under surface of the rotary screen, the movement of thesaid serrated arms being independent of the movement of the said rotaryscreen, a conducting-casing connected with the stationary screen, and aninner stationary casingover which the revolving screen and serrated armshave movement, the inner casing being adapted to receive the stems anddust, the space between the two conductingcasings being adapted toreceive the cleaned fruit, and the said hopper being adapted to conductthe fruit to the space between the screens, as described.

8. In a machine for stemming and cleaning raisins,a hopper adapted toreceive the raisins, a stationary screen carried by the hopper, pipesadapted to be connected with a source IOO IIO

of air-supply and having their outlets above the stationary screen,asecond screen mounted to revolve below the stationary screen,brushes andserrated arms arranged for movement at the under surface of the rotaryscreen, the movement of the said serrated arms being independent of themovement of the said rotary screen, a condu cting-casin g connected withj usting the serrated arms and brushes to and I from the rotary screen,and for adjusting the rotary screen to and from the stationary screen,as specified.

CARY S. COX.

Witnesses:

T. E. LANGLEY, T. W. TAGGART.

